Harvest of Love
by Kirabaros
Summary: It's Halloween and the Winchester family is invited to a Harvest Ball. Little Jess is two months and the event is filled with fun, friends and family. A little cute moment and thankfulness.


**Harvest of Love**

To say that Sam liked the idea of Halloween was laughable. He didn't like it and that was putting it mildly. He could say that he hated it and in all honest truth, no one could blame him for it. Dean couldn't blame him and certainly his wife couldn't. In all honest it wasn't her favorite time of year either and it didn't help that her birthday was around the same time. He had enough of the stuff associated with the holiday on a daily basis and with the real deal.

He wasn't particularly pleased to be out this night. He was especially on edge tonight even though the area was family friendly and there was nothing remotely related to Halloween. The reason for the uneasiness made itself known by cooing up at him. He felt his lip twitch and couldn't help but smile.

Jess was only two months old but she had a mastery of manipulation that was one that Sam could be proud of. His own brother folded fast when she cried for her favorite uncle. He, himself, was a softie, falling for his daughter's look. Her mother though was made of sterner stuff. He held his daughter as he looked around for any signs of his family in the sea of people that were gathered.

It was an invitation issued by Sacha; specifically to Winchesters and Family and it invited them to a Harvest ball. When Dean read the invitation he thought it was something sent to the right place but from the wrong time. Sam sort of grumbled at the sender since he and the vamp were not like best friends; it was a relationship like he had with Sherlock, the Librarian. His wife on the other hand thought it was nice and both Winchesters knew what that meant; they were going.

Road trips weren't like how they used to be since now there was a baby, the invitation said family and that included Sherlock, and not to mention the dogs that went everywhere with their people unless told otherwise. Basically it was preparing for extended deep sea diving and it killed Dean that there was the possibility of not using his baby but it seemed that Fate smiled on him. Sherlock declined rather rudely to ride in anything within the vicinity of an expensive mass of wrinkles and smelly hound dogs and preferred his own mode of transportation.

Sam had to resist taking umbrage at the reference to his daughter so he took his cues from his wife. In the end it was sort of like the old days except there was a car seat in the back along with Gideon, his and his wife's dog. It was crowded but they made it even with the frequent rest stops.

The Harvest ball wasn't quite what Sam expected it to be. Well he should have since the venue was on a plantation and Sacha was a bit of an old fashioned type. If Sam hadn't been so preoccupied with what night it was and whether or not the suspicious looking witch by the punch bowl meant anything funny and not the spike the punch with alcohol kind of funny, he would have noticed that the atmosphere was hardly threatening especially when he found a bunch of kids surrounding him and playing a game.

"Unca Sammy, you came."

Sam looked up from his looking and found him looking at the twin son and daughter of Akira and Christian. "Hi Asher and Aliyah." He noted the costumes and really couldn't be surprised about it since it was the 31st. "Nice costumes."

"We're trying to be hunters. Ali is Dean and I'm you," Asher pointed out.

Sam noticed that it was a fair rendition of him and Dean. Akira said it was hero worship but with a mischievous wink in her eye the last time they met. "Very nice. You even grew out your hair Ash," he commented.

"Just to make Dad roll his eyes. He thinks I'm trying to be like Uncle Austin," Asher replied. He shrugged his shoulders like it was no big deal. "I like it like this."

Sam chuckled as he looked for a place to sit so it wouldn't be too awkward talking to kids that came up to his waist. "I like it too," he replied. "Have you shown Dean yet?"

"No. We wanted him to see us with Cat," Aliyah replied.

As if on cue, the dog walked up. Sam recognized the characteristics of a Wilder dog and more importantly was a descendant of Sasha, the Wilder pup adopted long ago. He had to admit the choice of name was funny and he had to ask, "Why Cat?"

Aliyah giggled and replied, "Short for Catalina. Is that her?" She pointed at the bundle Sam was holding.

Sam had to blink at the rapidity the kids' minds switched gears. He told himself that he should expect this when Jess was older and to get used to it. Still it was a bit of a shocker on his end. He held out Jess, who was wide awake now, so the twins could see. "This is Jess."

The twins peered at the baby who was looking at them with a wide eyed expression. Sam almost wanted to laugh at their expression but didn't as they wriggled their fingers and touched Jess. Jess for her part burbled and at one point, her little fist bumped Asher's and he grinned, "Definitely a cool cousin."

"Definitely," Aliyah agreed beaming.

"I would think so," a new voice entered.

Sam pulled Jess back just in time to avoid the collision the little boy and girl had with his wife and were now in the process of squeezing her. He laughed when Asher said, "We get to squeeze you hard since Unca Sammy is holding Jess."

Angela ruffled each twin's hair and replied, "Now I know that at least half of it was because of me."

There was some laughter and she said something to them and produced a pair of caramel apples covered with nuts. She sent them on their way along with Cat and a mission to hunt down their other favorite uncle who was lurking by the buffet table.

Sam waited until they were gone before saying, "You know that if they interrupt the pie…"

Angela stopped him with a kiss and, "Dean won't do anything. He actually likes the fact that the twins think he's the best thing since sliced bread. Besides… he's a softie with all kids." She sat beside Sam holding the bottles of cider she procured.

Sam had to agree with that. When they first saw the twins after a couple of years, Dean was actually agreeable to playing with them. He adjusted his hold on Jess since she started squirming, wanting to see everything. He sat her up and faced her out to take a look.

Angela smiled and wriggled her finger in front of Jess' face. Her smile turned into a hum and a chuckle when the baby grabbed her finger and waved it around and giggled. She looked at Sam and noticed him smiling down at the baby and murmured, "Looks like someone else is a softie. And real men can show their feelings."

Sam made a slight face at her but it was a marred by a smile. "You just like bringing that up don't you?"

"Well… it's true." Angela leaned forward and finished her reply by whispering into Sam's ear.

Sam listened to what she said. He couldn't help by let out a laugh. He was surprised that she said that here and now but she was pretty circumspect even when around their daughter. Her whisper was too low even for Jess to hear but he heard her clearly. He pulled away to look at her and asked, "You're serious?"

Angela was smiling and gave a slight shrug of her shoulders. She popped the lids to the cider and handed one to him and took a sip of hers. She leaned against him and looked at the other guests at the party. They were all dressed for the evening in comfortable clothing. Later that night around ten there was the dance. The dinner though was very nice. She could see Dean with the twins and they were sneaking more desserts and her smile widened.

After a pause, she said, "I know that this is not your favorite holiday of the year and the time of year is hardly mine but…"

"It reminds you of when you were a girl," Sam correctly guessed.

"Yes. Harvest was the time of year when you took stock of everything that happened the whole year. Since the Church was the big thing, you thanked God for the blessings you received for the year. Mother would give the first fruits from the garden…" Angela looked off in thought as she watched other guests mingling.

Sam looked at her as she stared off dreamily. Whenever she thought of happier times, she looked peaceful. He always enjoyed seeing her like that. He gave a kiss to her temple and said, "Well I know that I'm happy with this year. The best thing is right here." He indicated towards Jess who was giggling at some kids playing with a lantern that made shadow shapes.

Angela knew he was referring to their daughter but she decided to tease him, "So what am I to you? A washed out hag?"

Sam wasn't going to fall for that one. He was used to it anyway. He merely smiled and said, "You're a part of it. You're the best thing along with Jess in my life."

Angela smiled, "And you're mine always,"

Sam smiled and leaned towards her and adjusted Jess so they could both hold her. He pressed his head against hers and breathed in the scent of the wild roses. He felt her respond by rubbing her head against his. She then bent her head to kiss Jess on the head and she chuckled when the baby smiled her gummy smile.

He was right in saying that the year had been good. His greatest gift was his two month old daughter and the fact that he had both her and Jess in his life along with his brother. If there was one thing about the Winchester family it was all about family. Sure they weren't like most normal families but where it counted, that said a lot. This year Sam was lucky to reap the harvest of what made their family so and he smiled as he gave a kiss to his wife and daughter. Perhaps Halloween wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

**A/N:** Happy Halloween folks and another piece with little two month old Jess and her family. Something to be grateful for at Harvest.


End file.
